Associate In Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI)

What Is an Associate In Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI)?

Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI) is a professional designation for agents, brokers, risk managers, underwriters, claims professionals, regulators and other professionals who work in the surplus lines insurance industry. The Institutes, an industry education and accreditation body, awards the designation.

Understanding Associates In Surplus Lines Insurance

To understand what associates in surplus lines insurance do, it's helpful to understand the insurance industry more generally. In the United States, state regulators are responsible for licensing and overseeing insurance companies. Licensed insurers must follow state regulations and maintain the necessary standards of financial strength.

At times, insurers will not or cannot accept a particular insurance contract, usually because the contract comes with an especially large or unusual risk. In these cases, the party seeking coverage may go out of state to find an insurance company it can work with. This type of insurance_ — in which an out-of-state insurer covers a risk no in-state provider can accept — _is known as surplus lines insurance.

Professionals who hold the ASLI designation are those with the special training to handle these types of transactions. To obtain the ASLI designation, candidates must take four courses administered by The Institutes, which require nine to 15 months to complete. The courses cover core skills and professional ethics, in addition to electives such as operations and sales, claims handling, risk, and commercial underwriting.

The ASLI core curriculum covers insurance regulations and the conditions under which surplus lines insurance can be offered to clients. This includes instruction on the marketing of surplus lines insurance products, in addition to methods to evaluate risk and calculate premiums for contracts. The curriculum also contains instruction on products such as management liability insurance, environmental damages insurance, and insurance related to cybersecurity issues.